Against All Odds
by RiaRia
Summary: The Cullens leave Bella for the second time. But this time, she's fighting back. Is the old Bella gone forever, or will someone be able to bring her back? Full summary inside. Give it a chance and leave me a review!
1. Summary

S U M M A R Y

When the Cullens leave Bella for the second time, she decides that enough is enough. She leaves Forks and heads to California, to start a new life. With a new college, new friends, a different attitude, and a new look, Bella becomes the golden girl, everyone loves her. Just when Bella thinks her life is perfect, she sees someone who could ruin it all again. The question is, will she let them?


	2. A New Start

C H A P T E R O N E

_This is it. You can do this._

That was the little mantra that I kept repeating over and over in my head as I pulled up to the empty Cullen household. Today was the day that I was going to let go, to give up. I had to let my past, and the Cullens go… forever. If I didn't, it would kill me.

The Cullens were gone, vanished, missing. They had abandoned me, _again_. I thought it was impossible, but apparently it wasn't.

Trick me once, shame on you. Trick me twice, shame on me. That was exactly my story.

I'm not going to lie, I saw this coming. Past was repeating itself, and I had denied it.

It had started three weeks into summer, the summer in which I was planning to get married and become a vampire. I was going to officially become a member of the Cullen family. I thought that I was going to be granted my wish, but I was so wrong.

Anyway, it began with little things, stuff that most people wouldn't even notice, or would probably just ignore. But I had always been more perceptive than most people. A gift or a curse, I will never know.

Rosalie, who had begun to attempt to be nicer to me, began to ignore me again. Carlisle started working at the hospital more and more. Jasper and Emmett went hunting almost constantly. Edward, Alice, and Esme were the only three that continued with their regular behaviors. Well…sort of. I had noticed that their eyes had a strange look in them when they were looking at me. Almost…angry. Angry and sorrow filled.

I didn't understand it at first. I tried to just push it out of my thoughts, but it was always nipping at the edges of my mind. I thought that maybe, it was just pre-wedding nerves. Especially in Edward's case, since he had never been married before either.

But as a few more weeks passed, the behaviors got worse.

Rosalie and Emmet were gone; they had gone to Ireland for a few weeks. They had however, promised to be back for the wedding. At least, that's what Alice told me. Jasper ignored me completely and avoided all contact with me when I was at the Cullen house. I thought that maybe my emotions were driving him crazy, due to all the stress I was under because of the wedding and the Cullen's strange behavior. Esme and Carlisle were visiting the Denali coven. Alice told me that they had missed their friends there dearly, and were just making a quick visit. Alice and Edward were the only two that remained in the house, and were speaking to me.

A few days before their departure, Alice turned on me too. I remembered what happened so clearly, that I was sure I would never forget.

"Bella. " Alice had started, enunciating every word sharply. "I think you should be more independent. You depend on my family too much."

I had been re-reading Wuthering Heights again while she had spoken. I dropped the book when she finished and turned to her. I'm sure my eyes were as wide as plates.

"WHAT?!" I shrieked. The way she had spoken was so biting and mean. I couldn't believe that little Alice, my best friend, had talked to me like that. She had basically rubbed the fact that I wasn't part of her family in my face.

She looked at me like I had an IQ of negative 8. "I said…" she started, very slowly.

"I know what you said Alice. But why would you say that? Pretty soon I will be a Cullen soon. We will be sisters than." I said, smiling at her hopefully.

For a moment, I saw the old Alice come back to life. A hopeful smile appeared on her face, but quickly disappeared and was replaced with a biting scowl.

"You never know Bella." She said, standing up and heading for the door. "Sometimes, plans change. And for the better." As she finished she slammed the door and left me sitting in her room, dumfounded. That was the last time I saw little Alice Cullen.

When I told Edward, he just brushed it off. He said that Alice was probably just stressed, and I believed him.

The next few days were spent at my house, just Edward and I. I was too nervous to face Alice again. During those days, things were perfect. Edward and I just relaxed and had some serious make out sessions. Even more than normal, not that I minded. But the night before the Cullen's disappeared, something very odd happened.

"Bella." He said. "I can't stay tonight, I have to go hunting. But I will be back tomorrow morning." The look on his face was off, too fake.

I turned and snaked my arms around him. "Okay." I said reluctantly. I had the strangest feeling that I shouldn't let him go.

"But Bella, I want you to know something." He spoke stepping away from me so that he could look me in the eye. "I want you to know that everything my family and I do, we do for you."

"Edward what do you…?"I started to ask but stopped as soon as I realized that he was gone.

Dread settled into me. I knew that something was wrong. Something was going to happen, and I knew it wasn't good.

I didn't sleep that whole night. I tried but I tossed and turned. My bad feeling didn't go away, it just got worse.

Finally the morning came and I couldn't be more relieved. I got ready as slowly as possible, so that I wouldn't have to wait long for Edward. As soon as I was done getting ready and eating I went and sat on my front steps to wait for Edward.

And I waited, and waited, and waited.

I sat there on that cold, bitter step until the night came and settled in. I sat there through three hours of rain. I was cold, wet, and pissed off.

At ten I decided to go over to the Cullen house and find out what was going on. The Edward I knew was a gentleman, he would never just ditch me and leave me waiting.

I drove up to the Cullen house and parked. I took a few deep breaths and tried to calm myself down. I mean, this could all just be a misunderstanding right? A mistake?

Wrong.

I walked up the house and knocked on the door.

No answer.

I knocked again.

No answer.

I tried the back door.

No answer.

I looked in the garage.

Empty. Completely empty, of the Cullen cars and the Cullens.

I had to resort to looking in the windows of the house. I felt like a stalker, at best.

What I saw was shocking. All the furniture was covered with white sheets, all the lights were off. No one was there.The Cullens were gone. They had left me. For the second time.

I stood in front of that window for God knows how long. You see, I was waiting. Waiting to collapse into tears, to fall back into a zombie like state. Without the Cullens, who was I?

And then it came to me, I was Bella.

Bella Swan.

And I didn't need Edward. I didn't need Alice. I didn't need ANY of them.

I would survive. I would have a life.

I was going to live.

And it wasn't for them, it was for me.

I strode off that porch and threw my car door open. I jumped in and smiled as I started the deafening engine and sped down the road, and away from the Cullens house.

I was sure that that was the last time I would ever see the Cullen house ever again.

But here I was again. I had decided that I wasn't going to sink to the Cullen's level. I was going to give them a proper goodbye.

So here I was, sitting on the hood of my ancient truck, staring up at the mammoth house. The wind was blowing my hair around, creating an abstract veil.

I didn't hate the Cullens. I don't think I ever could. Even though they had abandoned me, they had done so much for me. And in my own sick way, I would always consider them family. But just because I considered them that, doesn't mean I wasn't mad at them.

I was determined to show the world who I was, and what I could do. I was going to leave the old Bella here in Forks. I was leaving today and I wasn't looking back. It was time for a new Bella to be invented. A stronger, independent, graceful, and beautiful Bella. A Bella who would be respected and loved, by everyone she knew. A Bella who would also love herself and be happy.

I got off the hood of my truck and walked to the house. I went to the mailbox and took the letter that I had written out of my pocket. I had spent hours staring at the dumb little scrap, trying to think of the right words to say. When it finally came to me, I was impressed with myself. I had never been good with words, but I had done pretty well this time.

On the letter it said the following:

_Time will pass and I will age, but you will not._

_Time will make me forget, while you will always remember._

_But I will not fear time, I will embrace it._

_It's my time, and I will not wait for you._

_Your choice has been made, but mine hasn't._

_My life is just beginning._

_Yours will never end, so enjoy your outcomes._

I know, I know. The letter is a little…cryptic. Plus, a little bitter. But I am still hurt, and they needed to understand that I can, and will, survive without them.

I had put the letter in an envelope and placed the wedding ring that Edward had given me inside.

I opened the mailbox and placed in my letter, hoping that they would get it eventually. I f they didn't, that was five hours spent for nothing.

I took a deep breath and smiled. I could breathe, I could function. Without the Cullens. This would not be like the first time. Only a weak person would do that, the old Bella would do that.

And she didn't exist to me anymore.

A crack of thunder sounded over my head, and I noticed the darkening sky. This was it.

I walked back to my car and paused for a moment. Part of me would always want to be a Cullen. Part of me would always be hopelessly in love with Edward. Part of me would always crave to be immortal, to be a vampire. But right now, those parts were silenced. I was ready to start again, to be reinvented.

I didn't look back, but that didn't stop the warm tears from falling for the last time. My crying was over.

What doesn't kill you will evidently make you stronger.

Right?


	3. Just A Human

**YAY! NEW STORY!**

**I am really excited to write this story! I hope you guys like it! Just to let you know, in this story Bella is really OOC. But I thought that I'd change her personality up a bit and I have been playing with this story idea for a while. I hope you enjoy! Oh and if you would, drop me a review! Tell me if you like it, and if I should continue!**

C H A P T E R T W O

It was so beautiful here. So peaceful and just…wonderful.

I was sitting in the most beautiful clearing; wearing a gorgeous, long, white dress. It was made of elegant lace and was stitched and beaded with excruciating detail. I couldn't believe that I, Isabella Swan, was wearing such a masterpiece. I brushed my hand absently along the long skirt of the dress, thinking faintly of how is resembled a wedding dress.

There was a small pond in the clearing. I wondered over to it, wanting to take a look at how I looked wearing the dress. I gasped at the sight of me, I looked like I did when I still lived in Forks, before the Cullen's had left.

The Cullens…even saying their name now caused me a twinge of pain. But it was getting more bearable as time went by.

I knelt down by the pond, hoping to get a better look at myself. My hair at the time had been almost waist long and was the mahogany brown color that it had been since my birth. My long mane was half-up and was loosely curled. Just how Alice used to do it…

I didn't have any makeup on; at the time I had just found it to be a nuisance. It was hard to believe how much I had changed since then.

It was my eyes that amazed me the most. They held certain innocence in them, one that now I was sure was absent. They had a look in them that I just couldn't put my finger on…

Suddenly, I heard a soft crunch that signaled a footstep. I whipped my head around and came face to face with the one and only Edward Cullen. He was kneeling before me looking as breath-taking as ever. He was wearing a black tux, which only added to his beauty.

"Are you ready?" He asked me, a smile playing at his lips.

I could only nod, for he had taken my breath away.

He chuckle and pulled me to my feet and walked me over to the opposite side of the clearing. Upon arriving, I noticed for the first time that all of the Cullens were there. They smiled at me with an almost eerie happiness.

Esme, Alice, and Rosalie were wearing matching red dresses that were strapless and floor length. They looked flawless as usual, and their looks were amplified by the sunlight that reflected off their skin and made them radiate with sparkles. As I passed them Alice handed me a bouquet of red roses. I noticed that they had similar bouquets, but their roses were white.

Carlisle, Emmett, and Jasper were wearing tuxes all similar to Edward, but Edward had a red tie and their ties were white. They all had the same eerie smile as the girls.

Before I knew what was happening I was standing next to Edward and Emmett was standing in front of us. Emmett was talking, but I couldn't hear him. It was like everything was turned on mute. I tried to read his lips, but I couldn't make out what he was saying. All I could tell was that his words were directed towards Edward. Edward seemed to be repeating whatever Emmett was saying.

Soon it seemed like Edward's talking was done and Emmett turned to me.

He spoke to me but I still couldn't hear him. It looked like he was trying to ask me something.

He was smiling and obviously waiting for my reply. He grew a little confused when I didn't answer.

I tried to convey that I couldn't hear him by cupping my hand around my ear in a "what did you say?" motion.

He smiled knowingly and began to speak again, and suddenly it was like the mute was turned off and the sound was back on.

"I said," he began, "Do you, Isabella Marie Swan, take Edward Anthony Masen Cullen as your husband?"

My mind was racing; I couldn't quite grasp what was going on.

Although I didn't know what was going on, or what to do, my mouth apparently had a plan. Before I could stop myself two little words escaped my lips.

"I do."

Emmett smiled at me as Edward placed a ring on my finger. His mother's wedding ring on my finger.

"Then I now pronounce you Mr. and Mrs. Edward Anthony Masen Cullen. You may now kiss the bride."

I was absently aware of clapping as Edward turned to me and leaned in to kiss me.

And then it hit me, this was my wedding. I was now married to my true love, Edward Cullen. I was a Cullen at last!

I smiled as Edwards's lips met mine and lead me in a short, yet passionate, kiss. He pulled away before I could recover; my eyes were still closed when I felt the small, unnatural breeze.

My eyes shot open and I took in my surroundings.

The Cullens were gone, and I was left alone.

It began to rain, and the clearing lost all of its previous beauty. My legs gave out beneath me, and I felt my warm tears mix in with the cool rain running down my face.

I was abandoned.

It was then that I figured out what that look in my eyes had been.

It had been hope.

My eyes shot open and I sprang up in bed, panting like a dog in the summertime. I had had that dream again, the same one I had every night.

I became aware that it was very dark and that someone was attacking me.

"BEEEEEE!"

"Ugh!" I grunted, recognizing the high-pitched voice that belonged to my best friend, Melody Jenkins.

"Bee!" She screamed in my ear. "Wake up, wake up, wake up!"

"Go away Mel!" I groaned and buried my head under my covers. "It's too early!" I said after glancing at my clock, discovering that it was six AM.

"Bee! Do you know what day it is?" She said slyly as she threw open my blinds.

"Umhm…" I said sleepily as I tried to block my eyes from the sun. "Tuesday?"

"Well, yes. " She said offhandedly. "But more importantly, today is you TWENTY FIRST BIRHTDAY!" She screamed while jumping on my bed.

"Ew. Don't remind me."

Melody tsk-ed and skipped into my kitchen, where I could smell coffee brewing.

"Honestly Bells, you are the only person that I know who doesn't like birthdays." She said, coming back into the room holding a cup of fresh coffee. She sat down next to me and handed the cup to me before starting her little rant.

"Bella tonight you will be having an awesome party at the most exclusive club in town planned by me personally, which just ensures the party's awesomeness! Everyone one at the University of California Santa Barbara will be there, because they all love you, especially the guys." She said, finishing with a sly wink. "It will be an awesome time golden girl, I don't understand what's not to like." She stood up to face me, placing her hands on her hips.

I momentarily compared Melody to Alice Cullen. They looked nothing alike, Melody being a five foot five blonde with a curvy figure and Alice being a black haired pixie of a girl. But they both had the same 

spark in their eyes and hyper personalities, which is why I think I Mel and I were able to be such good friends.

Thinking of Alice led me into thinking of my departure from Forks.

When I left Forks I wanted to reinvent myself. So I decided to go to a place so different from Forks that it was almost like a different world.

Santa Barbara, California.

When I was applying for college, my mom had made me apply to UCSB (University of California Santa Barbara). Even when I told her that I had decided on Alaska, she told me that I couldn't turn the college down. She told me to "keep my options open".

It turns out that she and her hair-brained ways had saved me a lot of trouble.

I moved to California and left my old self in Washington, hoping to never have to go back. At first, I shied away from people at my college. I wasn't ready to trust anyone yet, not after what happened with the Cullens.

But that didn't last long, for soon I met Melody.

She had been in my college calculus class. She sat across the room from me, and for first half of the semester we didn't say a word to each other.

But one day she got up, sat next to me ,and invited me to a party that was being thrown at her dorm. I was confused; I had never made an effort to be social. Why invite me to a party when she didn't even know me?

So I straight out asked her why and her answer confused me…at first.

She had said "I see potential in you."

She I decided to throw caution to the wind and I accepted her offer.

She took me to that party and every party after that. When I refused to dance at the party, she made me tell her about my fear of my clumsiness making me look like a fool.

So she enrolled me in dance classes, made me join the cheerleading team, and started me in gymnastic classes.

Of course I refused. But that didn't stop her.

She got the whole football team to follow me around and _escort _me to all off my cheerleading, dance, and gymnastic classes.

I pleaded with her, but she said that the classes would help me with my clumsiness. And they would help me make friends.

So after grueling months of nonstop practices and work-out sessions at the gym, I noticed that I was becoming less clumsy. And, I was becoming more popular and more outgoing. On my own, I pledged the Kappa Beta Alpha sorority (one of the most exclusive sororities on campus) and I made it! I also joined a tennis team and a soccer team!

I made so many friends new friends that it was crazy! Guys threw themselves at me left and right! I refused most of them, but some I even got up the nerve to go out with. But I still haven't had a serious relationship since Edward.

The final part of Melody's little project which she called "Transforming Bella Swan" was a makeover, which was scary Alice-like.

She took out every item of clothing in my closet (including my shoes and purses) and gave them to homeless people. She replaced them with bright clothes that were much shorter and tighter than anything I would have picked out, but they were still tasteful and not trashy. The shoes she got me were insane! They were almost all high heels, except for some flats and some bright tennis shoes.

Along with the clothes and shoes, she bought me an array of purses and accessories.

I threw a fit, saying how I couldn't accept all of the gifts. But she just glared and told me that I had to, and if I didn't, she would make the football players come and make sure that I wore the new, expensive clothes.

I grudgingly accepted.

But she wasn't done yet.

She dragged me to some spa where I was given a complete makeover. I'm talking full body waxing (OW!), multiple facials, highlights, and a new haircut.

In the end my skin looked amazing and my hair was shoulder length and layered with side bangs, and had light brown and blonde highlights, which made my hair look more blonde than brown.

It was a true transformation. I almost looked beautiful.

"Hot" if you wanted to be crude like Melody.

The makeover went over well at school, but attracted much more attention than necessary. But regardless, ever since then Mel and I have been inseparable.

"Bella." Melody said, waving a hand in front of my face. "ISABELLA SWAN, ARE YOU IN THERE?!" She screamed in my ear.

"Yeah, yeah." I answered, rubbing my ear. "I'm here, I was just thinking. Geez, I think I just went deaf."

She rolled her eyes at me. "Less thinking, more partying!" She yelled as she flew to my closet.

"Mel!" I yelled, running after her. "Mel! The party isn't until seven. We still have classes to go to."

She popped her head out of the closet and frowned at me. "You're right. But I'll be over at five sharp to get ready!" She said as she grabbed her purse off the couch and headed for the door. "Get ready for the time of your life Bee!"

She left and I sighed as I heard the door click shut. I ran over and made sure it was locked. I loved Mel, but sometimes she got to be a little too much to handle.

"Bella, is it safe to come out?" I heard a little voice whisper.

The hallway door opened and out stepped Penny LeMire, my roommate.

"Yeah Penn, sorry about the noise. You know how Melody can get…" I trailed off.

"Yes." She chuckled. "I definitely do. I dove into the closet as soon as I heard the door handle turn. That girl has way too much energy for me."

Penny was my other best friend. She was a very tall, exotic looking girl. She had tan skin and long black hair. She could be a super model if she wanted to.

"Tell me about it. You are coming to the party right?" I questioned, trying to give her my best puppy dog face. Penn wasn't much of a party girl.

"What, and miss the party of the century?" She said, imitating Melody. "No way!"

We both fell into a laughing fit and went into our separate rooms in order to get ready.

I slipped into the shower and tunelessly sang some song I had heard on the radio earlier.

"Keep bleeding, keep keep bleeding loveeeeee…OW!" I cursed; I had dropped the shampoo bottle on my foot.

I hopped out of the shower and checked the time. Seven thirty, I was going to be late!

I quickly threw on some jeans and a yellow lacey tank-top.

I brushed my hair quickly and decided to let it air dry. I liked the way it naturally flipped at my shoulders.

I put on foundation and some mascara, brushed my teeth, and put on deodorant. I ran to the door and grabbed some Pumas , a sweatshirt, and bag that had my laptop on it.

"See you later Penn!" I yelled, already reaching for the door.

"See you birthday girl!"

I laughed and raced out of the dorm and into the building that held my class, Shakespeare Studies** (I don't know if this is a real class)**.

I was surprised to find that I had five minutes to spare. Maybe I was a faster runner than I thought.

"Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in."

I looked around to spot Derek Olen, one of the hottest guys on campus, and my best guy friend.

He was tall, like 6ft 6in tall. He had floppy blonde hair, tan skin, and a killer smile. He and I had tried dating, but decided that we were better off friends.

I took a seat next to Derek and opened my laptop. "Derek I am offended." I said, putting my hand to my heart and feigning a hurt expression. "You should be nice to me; it is my birthday after all."

He laughed. "I'm sorry Bella!" He got down on his hands and knees in front of me and got into a begging position. "Will you ever forgive me?"

I was cracking up, but I managed to spit out a "forgiven" just as the class started.

The rest of the day passed pretty quickly and in a monotone fashion. I only had two classes, and both were pretty easy to keep up with. I was always ahead in my classes, I made sure of it.

I made it home by four, after going to a late lunch with some of the girls who were in a hip-hop class with me (yeah, I know, me taking Hip Hop?!)

For one hour I vegged out on the couch and watched re-runs of _I Love Lucy_.

At five sharp Melody invaded my apartment and began her beautification process. She did my hair so that it was completely straight and half up and down. She gave me smoky eyes, but decided that was all I needed. God forbid I use blush, which was one habit I couldn't get rid of.

As soon as she finished on my makeup and hair (which I didn't understand why I couldn't do it myself, I was twenty-one not seven), she sent me off to get dressed.

My dress was a gold color and was strapless and went to mid-thigh. At first, I refused to wear the dress. It was so SHORT! But Melody and Penn said that it made my legs look amazing, so I reluctantly agreed.

I slipped on the dress and put on my shoes, which were matching gold heels that were about two inches high, so they weren't too bad.

When I was finished Mel came out of the bathroom in a black number that was a little shorter than my own dress. Seconds later Penn came out of her room wearing a bright pink dress that went to her knees.

"Alright ladies, it is six thirty, which means it is time to go!" Said Melody.

We piled into Mel's Mercedes. I once asked her where she got all the money from. She had answered me with the following:

"My mom's an actress and supermodel, my dad's an over-paid lawyer. You do the math."

The club wasn't far and the drive was spent talking about which boys we wanted to dance with.

"Bells, you should go after Dan Kelling, he is so hot and he obviously has a thing for you." Offered Penn.

"I don't know…"

"My God Bella! Are you still hung up on that little high school fling you had? Come on, get over it! You are twenty-one, single, and gorgeous. This is the prime of your life! So enjoy the night and make out with some random guy for God's sake!"

With that little speech Melody threw open the door dramatically and headed for the club, which were now at.

Penn looked at me a smiled.

"Bells, don't listen to her. Don't just throw yourself at some guy, wait for the right one to come along. But she is right about one thing. Have fun tonight! So, you ready?" She smiled hopefully.

Melody and Penn didn't understand my whole avoidance of relationships. I had told them that Edward had been a high school fling that had broken my heart when he left me for another girl. I lied, but what was I supposed to say? Oh yeah, my vampire sweetheart and his vampire family abandoned me weeks before my wedding?

Right.

I glanced at the already packed club and took a deep breath.

"As ready as I'll ever be."

**There you have it!**

**Review and keep on reading!**

**Love times three-**

**Mariah**


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